Manchurian Books

"I should like to wring Smithie's brother's neck," I said....
Marion spoke in dry, broken fragments of sentences. "You... I'd always
thought that anyhow you couldn't deceive me... I suppose all men are
horrid--about this."
"It doesn't strike me as horrid. It seems to me the most necessary
consequence--and natural thing in the world."
I became aware of some one moving about in the passage, and went and
shut the door of the room, then I walked back to the hearthrug and
turned.
"It's rough on you," I said. "But I didn't mean you to know. You've
never cared for me. I've had the devil of a time. Why should you mind?"
She sat down in a draped armchair. "I HAVE cared for you," she said.
I shrugged my shoulders.
"I suppose," she said, "SHE cares for you?"
I had no answer.
"Where is she now?"
"Oh! does it matter to you?... Look here, Marion! This--this I didn't
anticipate. I didn't mean this thing to smash down on you like this.
But, you know, something had to happen. I'm sorry--sorry to the bottom
of my heart that things have come to this between us.


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